Button-attaching machine.



W. H- WYMAN. BUTTON ATTACHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13 I913- Patented J mm "8, 1915.

I SHEETS-SHEET l- W. H. WYMAN.

BUTTON ATTACHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13. 1913. 2 4 Patented June 8, 1915.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 2- w. H. WYMAN.

BUTTON ATTACHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13' 1913.

M42 4 Patented June 8,1915

W. H. WYMAN.

BUTTON ATTACHING MACHlNE.

APPLICATION FlLED mafia, 1913.

l,1%2 0@%, l PatentedJuneB, 1915.

7 SHEETS-SHEET4w W. H. WYMAN.

BUTTON ATTACHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man MAR. 13, 1913.

1 1 i;% 9@% Patented June 8, 1915 7 SHEETSSHEET 5- W. H. WYIVIAN.

BUTTON ATTACHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I3, IBIS.

7 SHEETS-SIIEET 6- T TI 5w? orator...

WILLIAM H. WYMAN, OF OSHKQSH, WISCGNSIN.

BUTTON-ATTACHING MACHINE;

Application filed March 13, 1918. Serial No. 753,966.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. WYMAN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Oshkosh, in the county of Winnebago, State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Button-Attaching Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanymg drawings, which are a part of this specification. I

This invention relates to improvements in button attaching machines for attaching the buttons to the material...

A further object of the invention is to provide a button attaching machine in which the attaching wire is fed to the buttons by a lever and. other mechanism which is positively actuated by a rock cam. a

A. further object of the inventlon is to provide a button attaching machine in which the buttons are fed to the attaching point of the machine by a lever'and other mechanism positively actuated by a rock cam.

A further object of the invention is to provide a button attaching machine in which the wire cutter and staple bending mechanism is actuated by a lever and a rock cam. A further object of the invention is to provide a button attaching machine in which the staple driving mechanism. is actuated by a lever and a rock cam.

A further object-of the invention is to provide a button attaching machine in which the button holder and staple forming mechanism is actuated by a lever and a rock cam.

A further object of the invention is to provide a button attaching machine in which the button hopper is actuated by a lever to properly position the buttons for feeding them to the attaching mechanisms.

A. further object of the invention is to provide a button attaching machine with a plurality of button hoppers adapted to contain buttons of different styles topermit the easy substitution of the style desired.

A further object of the invention is to Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 15915.

provide a button attaching machine with novel means forengaging and releasing the buttons and feeding them to the point of attachment of'the machine. I A further object of the invention is to provide a button attaching machine which may be operated by foot or other power which is of comparatively simple construction, is strong and durable and is well adapted for the purpose describe With the above andother objects in view the invention consists of the improved button attaching machine and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and:

all equivalents; thereof.

In the accompanying drawings in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views: Figure 1 is" a side view of the improved button attaching machine, a portion of the supporting stand, ard being broken away and removed for convenience of illustration and the lower portion of the standard being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the complete mac'hme; F 1g. 3 IS a vertical sectional view of the upper portion of the machine taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 8; Fig. i is a vertical sec tional view thereof taken on line 4ei of Fig. 3; Fig. 5' is'a similar view thereof taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is another similar View taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is still another similar view taken on line 77 of the-same figure; Fig. 8 is a ver tical sectional view of the machine taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 3 looking from the opposite side of the machine; Fig. 9 is'a transverse sectional View taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional. view of the button hopper of the machine taken. on line 1010 of Fig. '11; Fig. 11 is a horizontal sectional view of the button hopper taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 10; Fig. lit-is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on line 1212 of Fig. 10; Fig. 13 is a detail dew of a fragment of the button feed tube which receives buttons from the hopper; Fig. 14 is a fragmentary detail View, partly in section, of the button attaching portion of the machine; and Fig. 15 is a similar view show-- ing the manner of securing the staple to the material.

It may be well at the beginning ofthe description of the-improved button attach-'- Ibmil operation of the machine so that a more clear understanding of the functions of the different mechanisms described may be had and in following this plan it may be stated that the machine is provided with a button hopper from which the buttons are fed in successive order to a staple forming mechanism, where each button is securely held while the free end of acoil of wire is passed through the eye of the button, the wire then being cut ofi from the coil to proper length, is formed into a staple. The staple is then driven through the material to which the button is to be attached and clenched. These difierent operations being performed with each downward and upward movement of the actuating foot lever.

Now referring to the drawings the numeral indicates the base, 21 the standard and 22 the casing or upper frame to which the button attaching mechanism is connected. The upper casing or frame has journaled therein a transversely extending rock shaft'23 which is adapted to be rocked a partial revolution by means of the arms 24 mounted on said shaft. A yoke 25 having its upper ends pivoted to the outer free ends of the arms 24. is medially, adjustably connected to the upper end of a rod 26 extending through the standard 21, and the lower end of this rod is pivoted to a bell crank foot lever 27 which is pivoted to an extension 28 of the base. The forward portion 29 of the bell crank lever projects through the base to a position convenient for the operator. A coiled spring 30 connected at one end to the short arm 31 of the bell crank 1ever and having its other end connected to the base serves to normally hold the foot lever and the rod and yoke in their uppermost position. The transverse shaft 23 also has mounted thereon between the arms 24 five irregular shaped cams 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36 which are adjustably fixed to the shaft by set screws 37 and rock with said shaft. An

other transversely extending shaft 38 mounted in the upper casing or frame of the machine and positioned above and a slight distance toward the rear of the shaft 23 has mounted thereon a series of rock levers '39 which are adapted to transmit motion from the cams to the mechanism mounted on the inclined face 40 of the said casing. The inclined face portion of the upper casing is provided with ailanged cover or top 4i which serves to hold and guard the reci 'iroeating portions of the mechanisms immnted on the said face nn-tics. 'lhe rear upper end of this cover has bolted thereto a bracket 42 provided with ti'unuions 13 oh which. pivotally mounted the button hopper holder This holder is formed of two arms 4-5 extending lrearwardly from the trunnions and are connected together by, transverse portions 46 47. The forward transverse portion 46 is provided with an cared member 48 formed to receive the forward end of the guard plate 49 of a button hopper 50 and the rear end portion of the said guard plate is adapted to rest upon the rear transverse portion 47. In order to securely and removably lock the button hopper 50 to the holder 44 the opposite side walls of the hopper are provided with looking recesses 51 into which extend the bolts 52 and'53.

The bolt 52 is fixed to one of the arms and ,the bolt 53 is spring pressed and is provided with a projecting knob 54 for convenience in withdrawing the bolt from its recess. In order to remove the hopper it is only necessary to move the hopper sidewise a slight distance to clear the fixed bolt, after the spring pressed bolt has been withdrawn from its socket, to remove the hopper rearwardly from the holder. 7 I

The button hopper is of rectangular shape with its forward side portions converged to form a discharge funnel 55. In discharging the buttons from the hopper it is necessary that they be so positioned that their eyes or shanks 51 will all extend in the same direction in order to extend the end of the staple wire therethrough. To accomplish this result the bottom portion of the hopper is provided with a plurality of parallel slots 56 which are somewhat narrower than the breadth of the button eyes or shanks to insure the proper positionin of the shanks with relation to the wire feed. The forward ends 57 of the side slots extend at an angle toward and merge with the center slot so that the buttons, the shanks of which are in the grooves, will be discharged from the hopper spout in successive order and in proper position to receive the staple wire. The hopper is agitated to cause the button shanks 'to enter the slots by means of an adjustable link connection 58 between the hopper holder and the outer end of a lever arm 59 pivoted to a bracket 60 mounted on the frame. The inner end of this arm is connected to a rearward extension 61 of one of the arms 24' by a link 62 so that each time the foot lever is pressed downwardly the button. hopper will be swung downwardly to an inclined position and this agitation will cause the buttons within the hopper to full to the lower end of the h pper and upon the release of the foot lever and the hopper taking its upright position the buttons with shanks which extend into the slots will slide, downwardly and 'i" 1'\\tH.'(ll V to the discharge funnel 55 of the hopper.

An. inner angular'guard pinto 3 is positioned within and extends transversely of the forward portion of the hopper to prevent the forward movement of buttons which do not have their shanks extending into the slots. The lower wall 64 of this. plate is parfor the hopper for convenience incharging the hopper with buttons and the free end of the cover is engaged by a spring latch 67 The guard plate 49 is spaced a sufiicient di tancebelow the bottom portion of the hopper to permit the projecting butt-on shanks to pass over said plate. A button feed tube 68 mounted on the inclined flanged cover or top 41 of the easing has its upper end placed adjacent to the discharge spout'of the hopper and is adapted to receive the positioned buttons therefrom. This tube has a slot 69 extending through the entire length of its bottom portion to accommodate the shanks of the buttons and to preserve their positions. The

tube is of suificient size to hold the body of the button and to prevent the button shanks from getting out of the tube slot. The up per portion of the button tube is also provided with a slot.70 to permit the introduction of a tool to slide all of the buttons back into the hopper When it is desired to sub stitute a hopper conta-iningia different style of button. for the use of a clearing tool in case the but tons in any manner become clogged.

The lower open end of the feed tube eX- tends to a point a short distance above the wire feeding and staple forming mechanisms and the buttons are temporarily held at this point by curved flat springs 7l which are positioned on opposite sides of the but- --ton feed tube and have their free ends extending into the end recesses 72 of the tube and into the path of movement of the buttons.

'; A button feed finger 73 pivoted on the projecting stud pin 74 of the upper end of I a button feed rock lever 74 is provided with "a curved lower button engaging end 75 which is adapted to engage, move and hold each button from'the' button tube to the point of attachment to the material/ The :rock lever 74 is pivotally mounted on a stud pin 76 projecting inwardly from the casing V 22. The inner end of the rock arm 74 carriesa roller 77 which enters the cam groove, '32 of the rock cam 32 mounted on the rock shaft 23. The upper portion? 7 of thiscam 'groove is concentric with the shaftupon which it is mounted to permit anindependent initial movement oftheE'shaft. A cam I .finger' 78 also mounted on the stud pin 74 is connected to the-button feed finger 73 by Thisupper slot also provides of the fingers 7,3 and 78 and serves to yieldingly hold the fingers extending down- Wardly. The rear free end of the cam finger 78 is provided with a transversely projecting cam pin 81 which is adapted to engage the cam member 82 each time the rock lever 74 is oscillated.

A wire cutting and staple forming reciprocal member 83 mounted in guideways 84 carried by the casing 22 is actuated by the rock lever 85. The reciprocal member 83 is adj ustably connected to the rock lever by a. turnbuckle link86 and the rock' lever is rocked on its bearing shaft 38 by the roller engagement 86 between the lower end of the rock lever and the cam groove 87 of the cam 38. The upper portion 88 of the cam groove 87 is concentric with the shaft 23 to permit an initial movement of the rock shaft independently of the rock lever 85.-

The upper portion oi the reciprocal member83 is provided with a central longitudi-- iial groove 89 in which is slidably positioned a staple clenching punch member 90. This punch is adjustably connected to the rock lever 91 by a turnbuckle 92 andthe lower end of the rock lever carries a roller 93 which enters the cam groove 94 of the rock cam The upper portion 95 of this cam groove is also concentric with the rock shaft, 23, upon which the cam is mounted, to per-j mit an initial movement of the said shaft independently of the rock leveri The upper forward end portion of the punch member 'is provided with a centrally located downwardly extending curved groove 96 to accommodate the shanks 51 of the buttons 50. when they are removed from the button tube 68 by the finger 73. The portion of the cover 41 adjacent to the discharge end of the button tube is provided with beveled recessed portion 41 to support the button while beingatt'ached to the material and is also provided with a slot 42 to accommodate the shanks of the buttons.

The longitudinal'groove 89 ofthe 'reciprocal member is of a width approximating the inner Width of the attaching staple 97 and the inner walls of the member 1 recess or groove 101 which serves to engage the staple wire 102 while it is being severed from the wire of the spool 103., The end recess 101 is in alinementwith the inner recesses 98 and also serves to guide the unformed staple into the inner recesses while being formed.

The wire from the spool is fed to'the staple forming point by means of the cam feed arm 10-1 pivotally mounted on the upper portion of the casing 22. The rear end of this arm is mounted-on the pivot screw 105 and one side edge portion of the arm has a cam 100 projecting laterally therefrom which is engaged by the cam roller 107 journaled on the upper end of the rock lever 108. The lower end of the rock lever is provided with acam roller 109 which enters the cam groove 110 of the cam 36. The upper end 111 of this cam is also concentric with the shaft and permits the independent initial movement of the shaft 23 as before described with reference to the other cams. A fiat spring 112 attached to the casing at one end has its free end bearing against the side edge of the feed arm 104 opposite to the cam, and serves to yicldingly swing the free end of said t'eed arm toward the button tube.

The free end of the feed arm is provided a with an upturned angular projection 113 having a wire aperture 11 1 in one portion through which the wire 102 passes. ,The inner portion of the projection has a guide roller end of the lever arm 108 with the cam portion 106 of the feed arm the outer. end of the dog will freely slide on the wire and when the lever arm 108 disengages the cam of the feed arm the spring 112 will yieldingly swing the arm toward the button tube and during this last mentioncd-movement the dog will grip the wire and feed it forwardly. The free end of the dog is provided with teeth or serrations to get a better grip on the wire.

In order to prevent the return of the wire with the positive mormueut of the :i'eed. arm a pivoted spring actuated dog 117 is provided which co-acts with an upstanding angular projection 118 forming part of one of the guide ways 8.1-. The dog is disposed at an angle with relation to the upstanding projection to provide a gripping action on the wire in one direction of movement of the guideways 8 1.

The portion of the wire and to permit the free movement of the wire in the other or-the feeding direction.

The projection is also provided with a wire aperture 119 and'a guide groove 120 similar to the projection 113 of the feed arm.

From the projection 118 the wire passes through a wire aperture 121 provided in the gib 122 forming part of the guide '84:, and =then through the eye of the button shank and the end of the Wire butts against the inner face of the opposite gib123. This gib 122 also serves as one member of the shear and co-acts'with the reciprocal member 83 in severing the piece of wire from the In order to the medial portion of the severed wire while the wire is being bent to form the staple, a.

holding and forming lever arm or finger 124 is provided which is momentarily swung into button and wire engaging position by,

the rock cam 34. This forming-lever is pivoted on the fixed shaft 38 and extends forwardly, horizontally through a slot 125 in wardlyand is provided with a recessed por-.

the feed arm is controlled by the stop hold thebu-tton -shank and The distance between the inloci the casing 22 and its free end curves uption 126 into which the shank of the but-' L5.

ton extends. The upwardly projecting lug .127 formed by the recessed portion 126 holds the button shank and the wire while the v staple 97 is being formed by the reciprocal member 83.

The clenching die 99 is provided with two semi-circular recesses 99' which bend the prongs of the staples inwardly toward each other and at a curve toward the material to which the button is attached to securely clench the staple to the material.

The stud pin 7 4 of the lever 74 has a flatspring 129 connected thereto which bears at its outer end portion on a pin 130 pro jecting from the button finger 73 to normally hold the said button finger yieldingly i in its'lowermost position.

The casing is provided with side pockets 12:11 to hold a supply of buttons of difi'e'rout kinds orto momentarily hold buttons button attached thereto is indicated by the numeral 132. v V

In use a supply of buttons are placed to changing their location on Within the hopper and the hopper is attached to the hopper holder 'by sliding its I guard plate into engagement with the eared members of the holder and by snapping the bolt into the locking 'recess of the hopper. Now assuming that the hopper has been oscillated to fill the feed tube with buttons and the foot lever is pressed downwardly the button finger Will be swungupwardly and rearwardly by the movement of the button feed rock lever and the engagement of the cam finger with the cam member mounted on v the casing. The button finger in moving upwardly will swing to a position over the lower button in the feed tube and as the cam finger slides out of engagement with the cam member the button finger will be yieldingly swung downwardly into engagement with the button by the flat spring carried by the button feed rock lever, Now if the foot lever is released the rock. camwill swing, the

button feed rock lever and the button feed finger forwardly and in swinging forwardly the cam finger will ride up the cam and yieldingly force the button finger downwardly so that in moving forwardly, the button finger will withdraw the lower button from the button tube and-"slide it downwardly on the inclined slotted portion of the casing cover to material attaching position. At the upper end of the foot lever stroke the roller disengages the wire feed lever 10%, and the spring 112 throws the lever 10-l inwardly and will yieldingly force the Wire through the button shank and against the gib 123. The machine is now in position to attach the buttons to the material interposed between the die and the button, and the foot lever is again depressed. This movement of the foot lever and the cams actuated therebywill slide the reciprocal member forwardly to cut off the wire and bend it into staple formation, and will force the punch member forwardly to drive the staple shanks through the material and into the recessed portions of the die and the die will deflect the shank ends towardeach other in a curve to clenching engagement uith the material. When the foot lever is again released the feed finger will again swing forwardly with a button and the Wire will be extended through the button eye as before described so that another button is in position to be attached. The movement of the foot lever will also oscillate the button hopper to shake the buttons into the button slots and into the button tube.

When it is desired to use different kinds of buttons it is only necessary to slide the buttons within the button tube back into the per having the lrindbf buttons desired and then proceed as before described.

From the foregoingdescription it will be seen that the button attaching machine is of simple construction and is well adapted for the purpose described.

hat I claim as my invention is:

1. A button-attaching machine comprising a casing, a button hopper pivotally connected to said casing, a wire-feeding mechanism carried by the casing, a wire-cutting and staple-formingand setting mechanism carried by the casing, means for feeding buttons from the button hopper to the staple forming and setting mechanism, a series of levers pivoted to the casing and connected to the mechanisms, a rock shaft journaled in the casing, means connected to said rock shaft and button hopper for rocking said button hopper, a series of rock cams carried by the shaft for actuating the levers and means for operating said rock shaft.

2. A button-attaching mechanism comprising a casing, a button hopper pivotally secured to said casing, a Wire-feeding mechanism carried by the casing, a reciprocal mechanism for cutting the wire and forming and setting a staple therefrom mounted on the casing, mechanism for moving buttons from the biitton hopper to the reciprocal mechanism, a rock shaft, means connected to the rock shaft and the hopper for oscillating the hopper, a series of cams mounted on said shaft, levers actuated by the cams and having connections with the diilerent mechanisms, and means for operating said rock shaft.

3. In. a button-attaching machine, the combination of a casing, staple forming mechanism comprising a reciprocal forming member and an oscillating forming finger coi perating with said member to form the loop and legs of the staple, staple-setting mechanism comprising a reciprocal punch member and a clenching die, levers pivotally mounted in the casing and connected to said reciprocal forming member and said reciprocal punch member respectively, a roc shaft journaled in the casing, a series of rock caifis carried by said shaft for actuating said levers and said forming finger, and means for operating said rock shaft.

4. In a button-attaching machine, the combination of a casing, a bearing shaft mounted in said casing, staple forming mechanism comprising a reciprocal forming member mounted on the casing and an oscillatory forming finger pivotally mounted on said bearing shaft, staple-setting mechanism comprising a reciprocal punch member slidably mounted on said reciprocal forming member and a. clenching die, levers pivotally mounted on said. bearing shaft and connected'to said reciprocal forming member and said reciprocal punch member respectively, a rock shaft journaled in the casing,

a series. of rock cams carried by said rook shaft for actuating said levers and said ing and connected to said reciprocal forming member and said reciprocal punch memher respectively, a rock shaft journaled in the casing, a series of rock cams carried by said rock shaft, and means for operating said rock shaft.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM H. WYMAN.

Witnesses G. H. KEENEY, EMILY SCHOWALTER. 

